Words have power! Have you thought about the words you’ll use in your wedding ceremony? There are thousands of wedding readings out there, it can be overwhelming trying to find that perfect one. Fear not! We’ve teamed up with The Occasional Sonnet to bring you our top 5 unique wedding readings together with loads of top tips for how to choose your readings. Check it out below!
Feature photo by Lucy Alexandra Photography
Our Top 5 unique readings
The Dance
Written by Benjamin Askew - The Occasional Sonnet, this sonnet is all about the dance of love & how it joins two people together
love listen
Let’s love, listen, take time when time is all we have... by Ann Gray
touched by an angel
A poem by Maya Angelou about talks about the ups and downs of love and how it changes us
I carry your heart with me
Written by E.E.Cummings this poem talks about the power and unity of love.
Love's Language
Written by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, this love poem is all about how love speaks through both emotions and physical actions
Finding your unique wedding reading
Unique wedding readings can add so much sentiment to your special day. With so many out there, how do you find one that you would like to say ‘I do’ alongside?
Here are some points to consider when hunting for that perfect stanza:
- Are you looking for a passage of text, a story, lyrics or something poetic?
- Who will be reading the chosen words? The speaker and the reading need to be a good fit for each other.
- What is the message you’d like to convey?
- What tone are you going for? For poetry, you can choose rhyming or non-rhyming verse or something timeless like a Sonnet. Some sound lighter, some more sincere.
- There are vast amounts of poems available that have been adopted as wedding-worthy.
- Are you looking for something bespoke? Look at the writer’s recent work, ask how you can be involved in the process and find someone you can work together within a style that suits your day.
- Want to make it more personal? There’s something genuine and powerful about somebody reading their own words out loud.
Bespoke wedding readings
One way to make your wedding readings truly unique is to have a bespoke poem written for you. They can form the basis of your individual vows to each other – or surprise vows for extra romance points! The greatest thing about something bespoke is that you can shape the process with your ideas and memories to craft the most beautiful words for the moment.
If you are having a celebrant to lead your ceremony (there are some incredible ones out there!), you could ask them to read something for you. They may be able to write something for or with you and incorporate it into the wider ceremony.
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Where to use your readings
Stationery
Speak to your stationer (if you are having one) and ask if some of the poetry lines can be included on the wedding stationery, like invitations and menus. This can really tie your theme together and add that extra bit of sentiment. Alternatively, you could add it to your wedding website if you have one!
Signage and props
Add your favourite words to signage, aisle runners and backdrops for great talking points and outstanding photography props.
Wedding Wear
You could have keywords from your unique wedding reading stitched onto the back of a jacket or tied around bouquets written on ribbons. Too subtle? Scribe it on the dress or veil!
Frame it
Finally, make your wedding poetry a memory of your love and your forever story with a framed print for your wall.
Featured on this blog - The Occasional Sonnet
The Occasional Sonnet create beautiful bespoke poetry for your wedding day. Check them out for the ultimate uinque wedding readings!
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